Assessing Whether Your Pet Will Be a Good Traveler

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Dec 5, 2003

You are planning a trip, and you are very excited about taking your pet with you. You always hate to leave him at home when you travel, and you just know that both you and he will have so much fun on this trip. Before you hop into your car with your pet and zoom away, you'll want to take the time to decide whether taking your pet with you is really the best idea.

First, consider your pet's personality. Does your pet enjoy exploring new places? If your pet is going to spend the trip cowering on the floor of your car because he is too frightened by all the new sounds, sights, and smells, this will not be an enjoyable trip for either of you. Does your pet welcome new people into your house or hide from them? A nervous or timid animal could bite you, your fellow travelers, or a stranger if it is stressed and perceiving a threat to itself. Does he growl or bark and charge at them? An animal that is very territorial or aggressive can also bite or simply frighten other travelers. Does he jump on strangers and give them big, sloppy kisses? An overly friendly pet can frighten people who are not accustomed to animals, especially small children, and a large, friendly dog can knock down older adults and injure them.

Many of the above problems can be solved by teaching your pet good disciplinary habits, and your pet's discipline is important to consider when deciding whether your pet will be a good traveler. Is your pet likely to chase after another animal and run away or get into a dangerous situation, such as running in front of a car? Is your pet likely to be frightened and run away from another animal? Does your pet often get into fights with other animals in your home neighborhood? Will your pet walk on a leash or allow you to carry him? If necessary, can you carry your pet for long distances if he refuses to walk? Will your pet stop what he is doing and come to you when called? Does he respond to a "Drop it!" or "Leave it!" command? This could be very important if your pet is investigating a dead animal or about to nibble on some dangerous greenery.

Your pet's physical condition is also to be considered. Can your pet walk long distances without assistance? Can your pet remain unsupervised in your car or hotel room for a long time without a potty break? Even if you plan to take your dog everywhere with you while traveling, you will most likely find that you will have to leave him behind when you go into a restaurant or visitor's center, or if you decide to do some shopping.

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The copyright of the article Assessing Whether Your Pet Will Be a Good Traveler in Travelling with Pets is owned by Beverly Eschberger. Permission to republish Assessing Whether Your Pet Will Be a Good Traveler in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.